This invention is generally related to the field of data storage services.
Data storage services provided over the Internet has the potential of bringing dramatically improved data storage capabilities to a wide range of new users. Generally, a data storage service allows a user to utilize an assigned portion of data storage within a storage system maintained by the data storage service. Such an arrangement may allow an individual or enterprise to obtain access to data storage of increased performance and reliability without having to acquire and maintain complex storage systems such as storage area networks (SANs) implementing various redundant array of independent disks (RAID) techniques. Such systems provide superior data storage reliability and performance, but often require a significant cost in terms of initial investment and upkeep. Thus, a data storage service may provide important data storage options that may otherwise be out of the reach of many users. Furthermore, a data storage service may allow efficient data storage that is geographically remote from the user's premises, which provides opportunities for increased reliability, especially in the protection of data from location-based failures. Also, a data storage service provided over the Internet potentially allows a user the opportunity to control stored data from any location in the world where access to the Internet is available, thereby increasing the flexibility of data storage.
However, these and other advantages have yet to be fully realized by existing data storage services provided over the Internet. Typically, such services support only a few high-level file operations, which the user must specify through a web browser/server environment. For example, a user may only be able to select from a few file operations such as read, write, move, copy, or delete, by making the selection on a web browser. The user's selection is sent over the Internet from the user's web browser to the data storage service's web server. The web server or other equipment and software operated by the data storage service recognizes the user's selection and performs steps that eventually produce the lower-level commands required to control the data storage system on which the user's data storage area resides. Generally, this process is based on proprietary software implemented by the data storage service. Such indirect, high-level control of files precludes the user's computer from treating the data storage area as if it existed on a readily accessible storage device. For example, the user cannot format the data storage area as a logical volume of storage, construct a file system based on such a logical volume, create a disk group based on such a logical volume, or implement a software RAID using the data storage area. Furthermore, the user is dependent on intermediate equipment and software, such as a web browser, for obtaining access to the data storage area. These significant limitations prevent currently existing data storage services from offering service-based data storage that truly resembles disk space on readily-accessible storage devices.